LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura

The cultural centre of the city of Lugano

LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura is a new cultural centre dedicated to the visual arts, music and the performing arts, which promises to become one of Switzerland’s most important cultural institutions, with the aim of promoting a wide range of art and establishing Lugano as a cultural crossroads between northern and southern Europe.

The striking architectural structure, which overlooks the lake, will provide space for a rich programme of exhibitions, events, musical events and theatre and dance performances, along with a variety of cultural initiatives and a packed programme of activities for young people and families. LAC will also be home to the newly-created Museo d'Arte della Svizzera italiana (Art Museum of Italian Switzerland), formed by the amalgamation of the Cantonal Art Museum and the Art Museum of the City of Lugano. Located over three floors, the gallery will hold a permanent exhibition containing the collections of the City of Lugano and of the Canton Ticino, temporary exhibitions and site specific installations. A new 1,000 seat concert and theatre venue, entirely wood-panelled and fitted with a special modular and removable acoustic shell, is ready for a varied programme of performances and concerts. The LAC will be the main location for the LuganoInScena and LuganoMusica (the new name of the Lugano Festival) seasons as well as a home for the Finzi Pasca Company and the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, both of which will be resident at the LAC. It will also be involved with the seasonal concerts planned for Radiotelevisione Svizzera (RSI).

The LAC aspires to become the pulsating heart of a cultural network that it extends over the city boundaries - involving the public, para-public and private authorities already active in our cultural world; such as museums, orchestras, artists, cultural associations, libraries, educational institutions, art galleries, and collectors - which aims to build upon a common project.